Breadcrumb

Atlanta Plans $6 Billion Airport Expansion-Video

March 11, 2016

Two giant, translucent canopies arcing over several lanes of roadway and sidewalks outside the Hartsfield Jackson domestic terminal will be the most visible features of a $6 billion expansion project at Atlanta's airport during the next 20 years.

The project, called "ATLNext", includes a sixth runway, new concourse, new parking structures, a new 400 room hotel, a cargo concourse and a canopy to allow passengers to walk to their cars from the terminal without being exposed to the elements.

"We will launch a new $6 billion capital program starting with the modernization of the airports domestic terminal," Hartsfield Jackson International Airport General Manager Miguel Southwell said.

"You'll see a spike of between 600 and 800 million in the first two years of execution and then 6 billion over the life of the program," Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed said.

The project's funding comes from a number of fees related to the airport, and a partnership with Delta air Lines and other airlines , and parking and concessions. Reed explained that no city funds are slated for the expansion, saying, "All of these funds are going to be paid out of the airport fund. They are actually separate funds that can't be co-mingled. So the airport funds have to remain at Hartsfield Jackson."

Work begins on concourse renovations later this year. The project accelerates next year with work on parking decks, passenger gates and the terminal renovation.